N27bn fraud: How EFCC arrested ex-Gov Orji’s son, friend at Abuja night club

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

Details of how operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, laid siege to a popular night club frequented by sons and daughters of the powerful and influential in the city and subsequently arrested the son of former Abia State Governor, Ogbonna Orji, and his friend, have emerged.

Theodore Orji

An EFCC top source confirmed to Vanguard , yesterday, that they trailed and arrested the former governor’s son with his friend, Kelvin Ilonah, at unnamed highbrow night lounge in relation to an ongoing investigation of the laundering of N27 billion by the former governor.

The source, which is part of the investigation, said the operatives went after the suspects based on credible evidence that he laundered the cash through his sons.

The operatives dismissed as spurious claims that its officers invaded the residence of Atiku Abubakar’s son’s apartment in Abuja in search of cash.

According to the source, “our search had nothing absolutely to do with any of Atiku’s sons or apartments. We have nothing to do with Atiku or his sons because we are investigating Senator Theodore Orji over money laundering and not Atiku or his sons,” an EFCC operative said on Monday.

“The truth is that we have been on the trail of the cars allegedly bought by the ex-governor’s sons. Last Friday, we traced the car to a night club in Abuja. In order not to cause panic, we waited until the business of the club was over and when the owner of the car came to enter and take off,  we arrested him and his friend who has a similar brand.

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“That was about 5 a.m on Saturday, December 8, 2018. The two boys we arrested were Ogbonna Orji, 32, and Kelvin Ilonah. While Orji’s car, a Range Rover, is valued at about N100 million, Kelvin’s car, also a Range Rover, is valued at about N35 million.

“In the course of further interrogation,  the two boys led us to their apartment, three flats. Documents retrieved from the apartment showed that it was rented for N13 million each per annum. Another brand new Prado Jeep, 2017 model was recovered from the boys.

“The two boys in question gave useful information to the commission which is helping in our investigation. The EFCC, as a responsible  organisation is abreast of  the established mandate and we shall not deviate from such mandate.

“We never went after Atiku’s sons neither were Atiku’s sons among the two boys arrested. There is no link with Atiku.

“Only last week, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, raised the alarm that EFCC blocked the accounts of the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Peter Obi.

“Again, this was another lie, which we immediately punctured as there was no truth in it whatsoever to the accusation. Till now, only silence has prevailed from the camp of the accusers.”